THE FOUR O'CLOCK TRAIN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10293, 24 July 1911, Page 5

THE FOUR O'CLOCK TRAIN.

A SETTLER'S OPINION,

Mr C. C. Jackson, of Konuaranga, writes a* folio wsto the Wairarapa Age:—Your sub-leader on the abovo subject is somewhat misleading, in as raucli as ycu give your readers to mderstniid that an extra train was added to the train service for the convenience of a few northern settlers. This was "no,t the c-tso. The deputation insisting of Messrs F. C. Tumor, F. W. H. Rummer, V>nd C. C. Jackson). waited on tho Minister in Weland a petition; -•-icMed bv 400 Bush . asking thst a "passenger carriage' l, be at- ' --ched to the "gobds tir'ain" which then left Masterton for Woodville at about four o'clock in the afternoon. Th's roods train had been running daily-for more than twelve months, ana it seemed only reasonable tc ermntrr residents that they should be allowed to travel bv it, especially as. it departed from Masterton <at a most convenient hour. The train las been" fairly .well supported, ouifce ns well as could be expected iJi. the dojith of winter, A sucii > * 'time riot'.' sufficient to guage 'he amount of traffic throughout the year nor-^sw? v it sttptfbSM' that th 6' passim-• J.gOT^traffic. of -She : of the •; service.; ; It ; would b 4 * * month's than in the summer. If this servico is discontinued, then the existing sti vied is of small value to thousands of setftlerp in tlfe northern districts. It is impossible for dairy farmers to, leave their homes,at.eight o'clock morning and not be able to return until seven in the 1 evening. Therefore the service becomes a dead letter. Had the extra r-train-left*Woodville at 8 a.m. instead of, 10 a.rij M it would have been more' 'used; and had the Department included the train in its timetable ir. would have been more generally known. The Minister for Railways told the deputation that this ; train, travelling once a day between Woodville and Maistertpn, .cost the 'country £7500 to ' maintain •was. npon-'tJiis elaborate of. ex-.. penditure that the: train was'expected to pay. then it is «mall wonder that the anticipations of the deputation were not maintained. In other words, a single triD from Woodville and l>ack costs the Department £25. or 5s- per running mile. It is needless* to sav the discontinuance of this train will lie a set-back to the country. And it is to be boped that tho*e who signed the petition will rememl>er that an election is approaching, and that each has a "say" in the management of State affairs.